SRC lured students into boycott - concerned student

Mr. George Kofi Dunyo, a self-styled spokesman of the so-called concerned students of the University of Ghana, on Tuesday said the boycott of lectures that led to the closure of the university was against the majority decision and wish.

Speaking to the press in Accra, he said "on the re-opening of the University, the Students Representative Council (SRC) called a forum and managed to lure some students to boycott lectures."

He said the boycott was against the wish of the majority of students, but for fear of being assaulted and harassed, most students refused to turn-up for lectures though they did not take part in the demonstrations and the various acts of hooliganism.

Mr. Dunyo supported his claim with statistics saying that when school re-opened, 70 per cent of the fresh students paid their fees in full and 30 per cent paid half.

He said 49 per cent of the continuing students paid in full and 51 per cent paid half, adding that on the average 60 per cent of students paid in full and 40 per cent paid half.

This, he said was indicative of the eagerness of parents and students to resume academic work while dialogue among stakeholders continued to find ways of bringing down the high fees.

He, therefore, described the boycott as a lawless, unnecessary and woeful act by the students' leaders, which has left innocent and sober minded students in suspense and anguish.

Mr. Dunyo said various efforts by himself and few others like him to have the academic calendar running and to guide the students away from lawlessness, led to threats of assault and brutalities.

He alleged that one Emil Affram was threatened by the students leadership with death, saying "on September 11, a group of students planned to kidnap Afram - these students laid his effigy in state and performed his funeral ceremony amidst singing of dirges.

"Lecturers such as Professor Atsu of the Mathematics Department, Prof. Acheampong, of the Chemistry Department, Dr Ackah of the Statistics Department and Mr. Tenge of the School of Performing Arts, had their classes disrupted and their lives were threatened by student hooligans."

Mr. Dunyo appealed to the government to expedite action for the early re-opening of the university for the continuation of academic work while dialogue continued.

He also appealed to the government to review the current user fees and its terms of payment to enable parents and students to have a longer period of time to settle their fees.

Mr. Dunyo called on the government to come up with a more pragmatic solution to the problem of funding of tertiary education in the country and suggested that the university authorities establish a marketing and public relations departments to promote the marketable features of the university to generate funds.

"We can develop the university gardens into a tourists attraction, establish bookshops in all the ten regions and convert our maintenance section into an assembly point to raise money and reduce the burden on students."

He called on the students' leaders to rather seek for an improvement in the facilities at the university rather than demonstrating against the high fees.